From Frankenstein to customers with smiles

One of the ways you can get a better reaction from an upset or unreasonable customer is to smile, When you smile it can and is translated over the phone. When I answer I always ask, “how are you today?” They in turn out of courtesy ask how are you? I replay in general “Just right” which is to say I am the best that I am no matter how I feel because the powers that be will me that way. I am always just right. This takes some back and gives the smile half a chance. When I then smile (sometimes explaining what I meant) they lighten up. I may have explained this before but it is worth repeating.
If we are all serious and not in a receptive mood they are less likely to open up with the details of a problem. If we treat them the way they want to treat us we will all be out of a job. They have the right to be upset. We have the duty to offset that feeling. I am pleased to announce most of the time it works.
With those who don’t react to the smile? I suggest reason, Tact and possibly a good laxative. Because if they are sour to you after all that? they are that way to everyone. We have only one chance to make the first impression. We have a lifetime to pay for a bad one. I HAVE PISSED OFF SOME OF THE BEST!
BUT, I have made welcome some of the hardest to please.
Can we make customers get better service? When they call and wait for a solution, do you really have the time to look at the issue? Weather you want to or not you should. If it will be long and protracted I would say let me look this over and call you right back to let you know what I found. If you work on their schedule they like that. Only the really Died in the wool Hardnose will insist on waiting for you to track a long protracted issue down (there are a few of those around but not many).
Can we build a better customer? Yes we can. By giving enough vent time, by being polite and giving alternatives when faced with how it can be done. Always be a point of authority (expert in your field)
But most of all listen. Most of the time they have a question the answer is within that question.
There is never a stupid question, They are not illiterate (some say that they are) I tell them we know they are not and just haven’t been informed of the nuances of the program yet. This is a big help to those who struggle.
Here is a checklist
Let the customer help you provide the best possible service
Teach them how to get it by letting them know when is the best time to call (Don’t make them rehash a problem until they get mad) and what to describe when the get that error.
If you smile they smile back and if you are polite they in turn will be too (a common courtesy) Treat them like you would your parents. This will make it a lot easier to get the work done.
Explain how we do things. (We do not have the best system of getting the work done but we are making adjustments all the time.) If they don’t understand how we get it done they become confused and frustrated at best and angry at the very worst. Once they understand that we have a method of getting things don and that those methods work. The better they will think of us and the process works for them too.

For more read Customers for life by Carl Sewll